Past events 1 Nov 2018 - 31 Oct 2019

Despite evidence that intimacy plays a vital role in health, quality of life, and connection for older people, they are often not adequately supported to exercise choices and independence relating to intimacy.

Initiatives to promote intimacy or sexuality are often limited to (heterosexual) sex and miss broader opportunities to promote healthy intimate relationships. This event explores new ways for understanding and promoting intimacy for older people.

It will outline what intimacy means to older people and how it is renegotiated in the context of disease, disability, and changing relationships. It will also explore intimacy at the intersections of gender, sexuality, and culture. Attendants will be invited to ask questions and share their ideas for supporting older people to maintain intimate relationships and social connections.

Explore intimacy from the perspectives of older people

Learn new ways of promoting intimacy for older people

In partnership with

Our experts

Dr Catherine Barrett is the Director of Celebrate Ageing and the OPAL Institute, a social enterprise promoting the sexual rights of older people. With over 30 year’s experience addressing older people’s sexuality – Catherine is passionate building resources for change, including Intimacy Bank which produces resources building on the voices of older people and service providers.

Rodney Cole

Rod has practiced Gestalt therapy as a counsellor in the LGBTIQ communities of both Sydney and Canberra. He supports his clients as they deal with issues such as coming out, ageing, gender transition, sexuality and sexual issues, depression and addiction. Rod’s approach is based on building awareness, exploring choices, and attending to his clients’ vulnerabilities and shadow sides, always seeking to give their unique polarities a voice. He uses creativity and humour in his sessions and encourages a focus on pleasure, satisfaction, joy and hope.

Aside from therapy, Rod searches for the perfect dumpling, attempting to perfect Indian curries and annoying his partner by watching Insiders and other political discussion shows.

Lisa Grant

Lisa is a Clinical Accredited Mental Health Social Worker and Sex Therapist with a counselling practice in Canberra. Lisa specialised in the areas of relationships, sex therapy, sexual health and well-being, mental health wellbeing and management, and recovery from trauma and abuse

Australian Association of Gerontology acknowledges Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, to Elders past, present and emerging, and to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples including members of the Stolen Generations. For further information see AAG’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ageing Advisory Group